Seman trial will take place here, judge rules

YOUNGSTOWN

Judge Maureen Sweeney ruled Tuesday against a motion by defense attorneys to move the capital murder trial of Robert Seman out of Mahoning Country because of intense publicity.

The judge did say she may revisit her ruling should there be difficulty in choosing jurors in common pleas court, which starts in earnest today. Jurors reported for orientation Friday.

Seman, 47, of Green Township, could face the death penalty if convicted of the deaths of Corinne Gump, 10 and her grandparents, William and Judith Schmidt after an arson March 30, 2015, at their Powers Way home the day Seman was to go on trial on charges of raping the girl.

Seman was free on bond at the time of the fire.

Defense attorneys filed motions weeks ago to have the case moved out of Mahoning County because of media coverage, and they supplemented those motions over the weekend with incidents they say took place during the jury orientation Friday.

Read more about the situation in Tuesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.